Topic: Odama Released

[TheYoungerPlumber]

After years of trade shows, Odama finally smashes into stores.

FORGET HYBRID CARS -                     NINTENDO INTRODUCES A HYBRID VIDEO GAME    

You've Never Played a Game like This Before    

REDMOND, Wash., April 10, 2006 -- Nintendo's Odama(TM) is the finest   microphone-controlled Japanese feudal warrior pinball game you'll ever play.    [Unlike all of the feudal warrior pinball games without a mic.]  The  one-of-a-kind game, which launches today exclusively for Nintendo   GameCube(TM), represents just one more way that Nintendo is pushing the   boundaries of what constitutes a video game.    

"With all these different genres, Odama delivers a unique and compelling   game-play experience," said Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo of America's vice   president of marketing & corporate affairs.  "Without playing it, it's not   the easiest concept to grasp, but once you play, it's tremendously fun and   easy to get into."  [Not unlike a comfy pair of tennis shoes or a warm bubble   bath ... Wait, what were we talking about?]    

Odama lets users command an army of soldiers who are subject to the   sometimes devastating power of the Odama, a massive pinball controlled by   giant flippers.  The Odama rolls over enemy troops and eliminates obstacles,   though it also can crush a player's own soldiers if not aimed properly.    [FYI, this part rocks.  The little soldier guys scream when the ball rolls   over them.  They're all like "It ... hurts ... the horror!"]    

Players can issue a variety of commands to soldiers on the battlefield   simply by speaking into the included Nintendo GameCube Microphone.  For   instance, saying "press forward!" will cause your soldiers on the screen to   make an aggressive push into enemy territory, while saying "rally!" will send   a team of soldiers to gather in a certain location.  The longer players play,   the more voice commands they learn.  [Now if only it had commands for "bring   me a pizza" and "do my laundry."]    

Odama appeals to a wide variety of gaming fans, from pinball enthusiasts   to military gamers and strategy fans.  [Not to mention cubicle dwellers who   dream of one day mastering the ancient, sacred art of multitasking.]  Odama,   available now, is Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older.

[trip1eX]

Bastard newsbot.  This game ain't out yet.  Tomorrow and hopefully you will be mine.

[KnowsNothing]

I really want to play this game, but unfortunatley I have to keep my promise of only buying New Super Mario Bros. and Twilight Princess this year.  Whups too bad!

[Renny]

I've never read a press release like this before. I want this game. My refusal to buy games at full price (with the exception of Zelda, of course) makes that difficult.

[Karl Castaneda #2]

"Nintendo's Odama(TM) is the finest microphone-controlled Japanese feudal warrior pinball game you'll ever play."

Haha, seriously, NOA has the best sense of humor in gaming. Unfortunately, I've heard a lot of bad press about Odama.

[trip1eX]

Eh the reviews for Chibi-Robo weren't good, but that game rules.   I'll let you know soon how Odama is.  

[UncleBob]

Gad damnit.  I want this game.  We got it in today.  I touched the box.  Licked it, in fact.

But I can't afford it yet.  Damn bi-weekly paychecks.

[Jonnyboy117]

Odama really sucked last year at E3.  And the year before.  So I have little reason to believe that they fixed it by now.

[Bloodworth]

I actually liked it the first year.  It was the mic addition that I wasn't too hip about.

[Knoxxville]

I likes it, and will be picking it up tomorrow.  As long as I've been gaming, this is the kinda stuff I live for....the different, off the wall stuff to help me get my gamer's high going!

[KDR_11k]

Edge seemed to like it though they didn't give any final statement on the controls.

Yoot Saito is planning a DS version, I wonder how that'll pan out?

[UncleBob]

Quote
Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117
Odama really sucked last year at E3.  And the year before.  So I have little reason to believe that they fixed it by now.

Jonny!  Why would you say such horrible things!  First, you tease us with ad-free PGC, then you slash our throats with this?  You're so heartless!

[Jonnyboy117]

Heh, I heard that Edge gave it 4/10.  Lasse Pallesen will be reviewing it for us, sometime next week.

[trip1eX]

I got me mitts on it.  It's a pretty dam interesting game.  And pretty f'n hard.  I replayed the first mission like 10-15 times.  And the second one about 20 maybe more and I still haven't passed the second one.  IT's fun tho.  I'm a bit stuck on the 2nd  because I'm not positive how to get the key.  I got it a few times only to be done in by the cavalry, but I'm not positive how I did it.  It looks like you can aim directly at it, but you can't. You have to ricochet the ball.  I think I know where now.  This is most fun game tho that I've replayed 30 times or more.  Probably because it's so different and interesting.

At first impresson the ball kinda moves a bit funny.  Not quite like a regular pinball game.  But those complaints I read are BS.  It's different yeah, but some of the funny movement is because objects in the game are bumpers but they don't look like bumpers.  Second the ball moves slower than in regular pinball and you have a lot more control over it (using the control stick.)  It's that way by design.  I read a complaint about the flippers too.  But hogwash.   You have to get used to the game and its nuances.   At times you can use the analog stick to basically bounce the ball off bumpers (walls and buildings and trees) and sort of keep the ball up on the 'table.'  That control is about perfect so far.  You need it to avoid just randomly ricocheting off anything and everything.  

I also read you finish levels by luck and you don't know how you finished levels.   So far that's not really true except for the fact it's pinball and sometimes your ball takes a lucky bounce.   I guess on the 2nd level I can't figure out where to hit the ball exactly to get the key.  Again so far it's just been luck.

The voice commands work pretty well.  You have to pronounce clearly.  But it's not anal.  Sometimes they don't work.  But as the instructions say sometimes they don't work because you're being overwhelmed by the enemy or (for example) you can't turn right if there's a wall to the right of you.  It does take a bit of practice to remember the commands and to remember to say them fairly clearly.  It's also takes practice learning when to use the commands.  

I think they could have done a better job of ramping up the difficulty.  I mean give  me some real simple missions at first to get me used to moving the bell  (troops) with the voice commands.  I feel now (after 30 replays on the first two levels) that I'm starting to really have some 'command' of my troops.   It still isn't very clear cut all the time.  

The greenball is your friend.  Once I figured that out my game went a bit smoother.  Also beware the calvary.  I pretty much now have a plan for 'em whenever they come.

So far it's a pretty decent game.  I can see why some gave it low scores.  First it doesn't look like much.  I think it's looks pretty kewl, but the graphics aren't very clear.   The graphics aren't no Zelda:WW or Mario Sunshine in terms of clarity and artistry.    But honestly it's got the japan feudal look and it works.  Second it's hard as hell.  You might get turned off quickly when the voice control doesn't work jproperly the first time or two or you get a gameover in 2 seconds which happened to me a handful of times or you're hitting the ball around wandering exactly what to do.  AGain tho I wasn't ready to pull my hair out because the concept is new and frankly I've never had this much fun getting my ass handed to me.  

I had the luxury of not paying $50 for this baby so perhaps I'm being a bit generous here.  I also don't how long the honeymoon will last.  From what I can see there's not a whole of levels, but it does seem like type of game you'll want to go back and replay once you finish it and have a lot better command of your troops.   Also yelling into the microphone tends to release some steam.

[Pale]

Jonny is on a mission to get the word out that this game sucks..  I even see his posts over at GAF...

I still want to play it for some reason... glutton for punishment I guess.

[IceCold]

Great impressions tripleX.. I'm thinking of renting this one first.

[UncleBob]

Whoo!  How cool is it that the game is sub-titled?  That makes it even more wacky!

Yeah!